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Permalink Reply by FreeThinker on April 26, 2011 at 8:38pm

There's more to this story...

 

"A couple of days before, one of them (Westboro protestors) ran his mouth at a Brandon gas station and got his arse waxed. Police were called and the beaten man could not give much of a description of who beat him. When they canvassed the station and spoke to the large crowd that had gathered around, no one seemed to remember anything about what had happened."

 

I don't condone the violence against them, but I am glad that the townspeople were able to prevent the WBC from protesting.

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Permalink Reply by World Walker on April 27, 2011 at 7:12am

The story is mostly funny in a good for a movie kind of way.  But think about being beaten and having the whole system collaborate against you.  I'm glad the victims were Westboro protestors and not somebody important but that behavior is going to get somebody I would identify with hurt as well.  I'm not sure I'm willing to applaud Mississippi.

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Permalink Reply by Lorryslorrys on April 29, 2011 at 5:19am

I don't condone violence either. But I am glad he got his arse kicked.

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Permalink Reply by Pat on April 27, 2011 at 7:43am

Yeah, we all know Freddie and the WBC-ettes are deranged low lifes. However, I can't condone a public beating of a person exercising the right of free speech. Nor, can I condone the police from forcibly detaining people under false pretense to prevent those people from exercising that right. Quick question. Would everyone still be cheering and applauding this behavior if the victim were an atheist having been beaten by a group of good Christians because he/she doesn't believe in their god, and voiced that opinion? In this country, and especially in a highly christian and conservative area, it's not that big of a stretch.

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Permalink Reply by World Walker on April 27, 2011 at 7:57am

Right.  I do not think protesting funerals should be legal.  And I think that should be fixed in legislation.

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Permalink Reply by FreeThinker on April 28, 2011 at 5:08pm

Since it is a First Amendment right (freedom of speech), there would have to be a Constitutional amendment in order to make it illegal.  Well, either that or just ignore the Constitution, like a lot of politicians seem to do.

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Permalink Reply by World Walker on April 29, 2011 at 8:19am

I think making an exception for what invasive forms of expression can be used at a funeral would be a limited and correct way to go.

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Permalink Reply by Pat on April 29, 2011 at 9:39am

And when you cross the line to prohibit speech that hurts peoples feelings, where do you stop? What's the criteria? Hurt feelings? Poor taste such as making fun of crippled children or disaster victims? Or how about cartoons of religious characters such as Jesus and/or Mohammed? Any of the above examples will be offensive to someone. My personal opinion is that WBC serves a very good purpose. It shows the world exactly what religion, taken to its illogical end, produces. Kooks and nutjobs that are allowed to expose themselves is healthier for society than keeping them in the shadows where they can do more damage. Sunlight, and free speech, being a good disinfectant.

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Permalink Reply by World Walker on April 29, 2011 at 9:43am

The goal isn't to prevent hurt feelings.  The goal is to enshrine the way in which people can or cannot honor the dead at the moment of a funeral type thing.  At that moment, I don't think your politics or your expression have anything to do with it.  I think we would be legislating an extension of your privacy to be in a funeral procession you are a part of which happens to be taking place in public but which is treated as "none of your business" for purposes of staging a demonstration.  Weddings might be next if you're determined to guess where the slippery slope of limits might go.   If limiting free speech at the time of a funeral is too much encroachment of expression, I think you're doing it wrong.

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Permalink Reply by Pat on April 29, 2011 at 11:39am

I know of no example where WBC has been part of the funeral procession or grave site service.   Nor, where they, or other evangelical homophobes, have been allowed in the front row of a church at a gay wedding.  Staying at a distance of 500 to 1,000 feet or more away, is generally the norm.  Nor, is there any law or ordinance that says the have to be allowed on private property where these ceremonies are taking place.  Reasonable geographic limits are imposed all the time on demonstrations and other public expressions of free speech.  My concern is banning the speech.  If limiting free speech at the time of a funeral is too much encroachment of expression...  It is.

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Permalink Reply by World Walker on April 29, 2011 at 11:57am

Well, whether it is is the debate between you and me.  I say it isn't.

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Permalink Reply by Sentient Biped on April 27, 2011 at 8:54am

"It seems that certain Rankin county pickup trucks were parked directly behind any car that had Kansas plates in the hotel parking lot and the drivers mysteriously disappeared until after the funeral was over. Police were called but their wrecker service was running behind and it was going to be a few hours before they could tow the trucks so the Kansas plated cars could get out.
A few made it to the funeral but were ushered away to be questioned about a crime they might have possibly been involved in. Turns out, after a few hours of questioning, that they were not involved and they were allowed to go on about their business.”

So they were basically harassed by county employees.... Love seeing WBC get some of their own medicine, but Im with the others, seems like what's sauce for the goose would be sauce for the gander.

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